Last night Allie and I spent the evening at a great fundraiser for the RAH organization.  They provide services and support for individuals with disabilities.  It was a fun evening and very inspiring to be a part of.  Being there made me really think about all of the amazing service opportunities around me...and what I can do to be a better member of my community.  This has actually been on mind more and more lately.  Earlier this year we took advantage Disney's "Give a Day, Get a Day" program.  We were excited to be given the opportunity to earn a free day at Disneyland--and to bless someone else in the process.  I (with a lot of help from my Mom) made a blanket for Project Linus.  Eric and Allie volunteered their time at Courage Reins, something that has since turned into regularly scheduled volunteering.  I truly believe that giving service not only blesses lives but brings tremendous happiness and enjoyment to the giver--something we can all use more of in our lives.    

Michael, David, Larkin, & Allie

My morning walks with Landon

Landon is determined to be awake much earlier than I would like him to be. It's something that I have come to realize is just a part of who he is. A week or so ago I finally decided to embrace this morning time that I have with him. These 6 am walks have become such a wonderful way for me to start my day and enjoy my son. I agree whole-heartedly with Henry David Thoreau who said: " An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day."

You May Have Noticed

That I am doing a lot of blogging these days. Well, at least for the last 3 days. I am trying to blog each day for one month. Why? I don't really know. I thought it sounded like a nice way to waste a little time. Actually, I've noticed that a lot of my friends and family have really slowed down on updating their blogs (to decide whether or not I am in fact referring to you, go check how many times you've posted in the last month. If it's more than 4 you're in the clear.). I think that it has less to do with not having anything to blog about and more to do with busy lives. I like hearing what you are doing, who you are doing it with, what you are cooking, what and/or who you are thankful for, household projects, what you do for entertainment purposes, and what you are thinking about. Oh, and any time you can call someone out on something...well, that's kind of fun (see my post from yesterday for a great example of this). I am going to lead by example, so get busy blogging!

With that explanation, here is today's entry.

It is so hot outside. Despite that, I have a one year old son is who determined to make me suffer through the hottest part of the day outdoors. He will sit at the door and cry until I have finally had enough and give in and take him outside. Because I don't find the same amount of enjoyment in looking for (or eating) bugs, playing in dirt, playing with the dogs, gathering rocks and sticks, or watering every inch of the lawn and sidewalk that Landon does, I have had to find things to keep me busy during our time outside. It's too hot to do anything productive so I read. Yesterday I read a couple of Ensign articles. The one that I really loved was all about President Henry Bennion Eyring (I like his middle name). He has always been one of my favorite General Authorities. I don't know why but I got a kick out of the fact that friends and family call him Hal. I guess it just sounds so "guy next door". I loved learning about his heritage of faith, his willingness to follow the still, small voice no matter the sacrifice required, and I loved reading about his wife. There is a funny part of the article that mentions something that his wife did to the family TV--you're going to have to read it to find out what happened. Anyways, I've decided that learning as much as I can about the actual person in each General Authority helps me to love, appreciate, and respect them and the counsel they give that much more. The next article in the July Ensign is about President Deiter F. Uchtdorf (I don't know what his middle name is yet, but I am excited to find out). In a very small way I am looking forward to Landon nagging me to take him outside so that I can discover some wonderful things about President Uchtdorf.

President Henry Bennion Eyring (aka "Hal")

"Nobody's Perfect"

I do a lot of blogging about how often Allie insults my intelligence, unintentionally or otherwise. Today I am posting to thank her for her well-timed "That's okay, nobody's perfect". Did you know that you are not supposed to grind flaxseed in a wheat grinder? I didn't. Now I do. Thankfully it appears that my expensive wheat grinder will live to grind another day.

Awake, Arise, and Come Unto Him

This was the theme for this year's BYU Women's Conference. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to go. It was a great experience to be taught, entertained, enriched, and enlightened. It is something that I hope to be able to do each year if my family circumstances allow me to be absent for a couple of days. I thought that I would share a couple of my experiences with you:

*My very first experience was not a good one. I was with my Mother-in-law, Karma, who has a handicapped parking pass thanks to her back surgery. We waited in a very long line to enter into what was designated as the handicapped parking lot. When we had only moved a couple of inches after 20 minutes of waiting I decided to jump out of the car and make sure that we were in the right place. I had seen a traffic officer that I thought I would be able to easily track down. I couldn't find him so I decided to go and ask some ladies that were just getting out of their car. They told me that despite the many empty spaces in this lot they were instructing people to drive down to the Stadium Parking lot and then take a shuttle to the Marriott Center--something that wasn't sitting well with any of the handicapped ladies thus the loooooong wait at the parking lot. I was satisfied with that because as long as they were willing to shuttle us right back here that was a good solution for our parking issue. So I headed back to where I had left Karma (surprisingly enough she hadn't moved at all). On my way some lady started calling out to me. She begged me to move one of the parking barricades for her. When I told her that I couldn't she explained to me that she was the organist for the opening session and that she had been waiting in line for 45 minutes and that she was already very late to check in. She continued to plead with me saying that she would inform the traffic officer of her urgent situation and the reason why she asked me to move the barricade. I stood there for a minute considering my options. I had no way to verify who she was but I felt really bad for her...so I did it. I moved one parking barricade. As soon as she went through I immediately closed the road off much to the annoyance of MANY people who tried to ram their way in before I could seal the entrance off. I even had to physically block one lady from pulling in before the barricade was back in place. She returned my favor by unleashing a torrent of bad words right at me. I apologized, quickly explained why I had moved the barricade for the previous vehicle, and then ran for my life as she continued to holler at me. When I got back in the car Karma said that she had witnessed the whole thing and that she was worried that I was going to be thrown into BYU jail. At that point I was seriously ready to pack up and head home. Thankfully I didn't because the rest of the experience was wonderful. Oh, and by the way, the lady who asked me to move the barricade was in fact the woman who was sitting at the organ through the first session.

*Every one of the classes I attended was very uplifting and inspiring. I don't feel like one single minute of my time was wasted.

*Visiting with other sisters from all over the country was a neat experience. It was fun to compare and contrast our lifestyles with each other.

*I realized that I haven't attended Relief Society for the last 7 years thanks to my callings in Young Women's and Primary. Being taught by other women on an adult level is something that I have missed. I LOVE serving in Primary, but it was a nice change of pace for me for a couple of days.

*It was so nice to spend some quality time with my Mother-in-law, whom I enjoy very much.

*Of the 7 classes I attended, 5 of them referenced a talk given by Elder Dallin H. Oaks entitled Good, Better, Best. I loved this talk when he gave it and it was a good reminder for me that the truths taught in this address have vast application in our lives.

*I came home with several practical ideas for how to strengthen and fortify my home and family.

*I got to have yummy ice cream from the creamery. That might have been worth the whole trip.

*The BEST experience in those two days for me was being able to attend the closing session where the Prophet spoke. His address was nice and well presented but just being there in the same room as he was is what touched my heart the most. It was so amazing to experience the reverence that immediately encompassed the building when the Prophet began to enter the Marriott Center. In that moment the Spirit was so strong and it was confirmed to me once again that this man is the Lord's prophet on the earth today.

Wait

I found this poem while we were waiting for a child to be placed with our family and I almost couldn't bear to read it because it hit so close to home. Now that things have come full circle and I re-read this poem, it is even more profound to me...for I have experienced the growth and the blessings that come when the Lord says to us: "wait".

Wait
by Russell Kelfer

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate . . .
And the Master so gently said, "Wait."

"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

"My future and all to which I relate
Hangs in the balance, and you tell me to wait?
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,
Or even a 'no' to which I can resign.

"You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And Lord I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply."

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate,
As my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting for what?"

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine . . .
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

"I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

"You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
When darkness and silence are all you can see.

"You'd never experience the fullness of love
When the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

"The glow of my comfort late into the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

"You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
But, oh, the loss, if you missed what I'm doing in you.

"So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still . . . Wait."